Grass-catcher.



J. H. GOULT.

GRASS OATGHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1907.

Patented May 18, 1909.

UNITE D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H4 COULT, OF FAIRMONT, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO HOUGHTALING-(JOULTMAN U- FACTURING COMPANY, OF- FAIRMONT, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OFMINNESOTA.

cRAss-oATcHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.-

Application filed August 10, 1907. Serial No. 383,034.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be itflkIlOWli that'L'Jos'EPH H. CoULT, a resident ,of Fairmont, in thecounty of Marcertain' new and useful Improvements in Grass-Catchers, ofwhich the following is-a full, clear, and exact description.

The inventionrelates to grass catchers for lawn-mowers.

The invention designs toprovide a grass catcher of improved constructionand which comprises a metallic bottom and fabric sides.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improi'ed constructionin which the sides of the receptacle are flared outwardly and upwardlyto direct the grass which is frequently blown or thrown by knives inlateral direction. 3

The invention consists in the severalnovel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly hereof. 7

I11 the drawings: Figurel is a erspectilve of the improved grasscatcher. ig. 2 is a view showing the improved catcher applied to alawnmower of usual constructionthe catcher being shown in section. andthe mower being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a plan of the catcher anda ortion of the mower handle. Fig. ,3 .is a etail perspectiveillustrating the manner of securing the back are secured to the metallicbottom by stay-rod for one of the sides of the catcher" to the metallicbottom. Fig. 3 'is a detail of-the lug. for securing the front end ofthe catcher'handle to the bottom of the receptacle.

The receptacle for catching the grass cut by themower comprises a bottom10 of sheet metal and sides 12 and a back 13 made of suitable fabricsuch as stout duck-cloth or canvas. The lowerxedge of the sides andinterfoldin the overlapping edges of the metal and abric respectively toform a'seam or joint 14 which will securely connect themetallic bottomand the fabric sides. The

back are stitched around a stay-rod or wire 16 wh-ieh sustains the sidesand back ofzthe receptacle.- The front ends of the wire 16 are extendeddownwardly to form legs or uprights which are connected to the bottom 10by their terminals 16' which extend intin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented f b defined by claims at'the conclusion 5 .wardly from thestandards or legsand are pivotally held in seats or pockets in the 'ireceptacle-bottom which are formed by ending a portion 10 of themetallic bot= tom to form plates or seats for said terminals as clearlyshown in Fig. 3. The lower ends of the standards or legs aredisposedbetween the seams let and pockets 10' so that the sides and standardsorlegs are secured against outward movement from pockets 10. Thisconstruction serves to hold the uprights or legs of the stay-rod 16 sothat the bottom and rod can be folded together for-convenience instorage or packing and also serves to firmly hold the stay-rod in properposition laterally withrespect to are flared outwardly, e., the frontedges thereof extend upwardly. and outwardly at an obtuse angle from thereceptacle-bottom to direct the grass blown laterally by the wind anddischarged laterally'by the knives into the receptacle. The.v connectionbetween the standards or legs of the stay rodand'the'bottom providessimple means for securing the front portion of the sides in t ese sidesdirect much of the grass into the receptacle which would otherwise notbe caught thereby.

which is riveted't'o thereceptacle bottom near secured to the handle bya screw 46 which rear portion of the handle is connected to the back ofthe receptacle in suitable manner, preferably .by extending the"stay-rod 16 through a hole therein. An advantage of this manner ofattachingthe handle to the receptacle is that itavoids thefuse of anydischarge from the receptacle.

the receptacle is folded. By extending-rod 16. through the handle at theback of the catcher and connecting the front ends of the stay-rod to thebottom of the receptacle so s read relation, which is important becauseextends through a-hole in the handle. The.

the bottom. The frontportion of the sides 12 and the standards or legsof the stay-rod the front edge thereof and is adapted to be crossconnection between the reee 'itacle-sides which ma catch the grass whent Is being The pivotal :connection 46 for the front 3 'end of thehandle'permits the handle to swing into. substantially parallel relationwith respect to the-metallic bottom when 85 -A handle'20 forthefreceptaclehas its front 'end secured to -a staple or bracket by adepending support or hanger 40 which is pivotally connected to thehandle or push bar 22 of the mower by a bolt 41. This support or hangeris provided with a plurality of holes 42550 it can be adjustedvertically to l by lifting the hook oif thebai-l. The lower at eitherside, of the mower to receive all of support the receptacle-handle andthe rear portion of the catcher in desired elevation. Support or hanger40 is provided with a plurality of'seats in either of which therecep'tacle handle may be held to secure the rear end of the handlelaterally.

A detachable connection for the front of the receptacle comprises a bailQtadapted to be secured to the mower and comprises sides or ends 26having holes orslots therein through each of'whic-h passes one of the.'bolts 28 which are those usually provided for connecting the roller 29to the mower frame 30. Bolts 28 are adapted to securely clamp the bailto the sides of the mower frame to rigidly secure the bail thereto. Thefront-edge of the sheet-metal bottom .10

. is extended upwardly as at 32 to form a wall or ledge extendingacrossthe front of the r'eceptacle and adapted to fit against an overlie bailM andthen'downwardly as at 33 to form a hook or detachable connectionfor metallic bottom and fabric sides, a stay-rod the receptacle and bailwhich. permits the rece table to be detached from the mower edge-portion33 is reverted, as at 34 to. rein force it. The bail is materially widerthan the hook 33 at-the front of the receptaclel and the front portionof. the receptacle-*iis materially wider than the knives and rollers 29of the mower which are usually of sub.-

stantially the same width. This'construction and arrangement may beprovided so,

the grass receptacle may be adjusted laterally the grass dischargedbackwardly and laterally from the mower at either side.

The invention .provides an improved catcher receptacle which canbefoldedand produced at alow cost, andin which the re ceptacle sides are flaredoutwardly-to direct the grass which is thrown or blown later-;

ally as it is discharged from the mower.

The invention is not to be understood as.

restricted to precise details set forth since chanic without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is: i 1. In a grass catcher, thecombinationof a receptacle comprising a metallic bottom and fabric sides, a rod atthe upper edge of said sides, standards secured to said rod and havinglaterally-extending terminals at their lower ends, seats at the sides ofthe bottom in which said terminals are pivotedand held respectively, thefront portions of said bottom being bent to form a hook, a .handle forthe receptacle and means for detachably connecting the receptacle to amower.

2. In a grass-catcher, the combination of a receptacle comprisin'g ametallic bottom and fabric sides, a bail adapted to be attached to' amower, a hool: at thefrontofi the bottom for detachably connecting thereceptacle to said bail, standards havin their lower ends pivoted to thebottom, anc a handle for the receptacle.

3. In a grass catcher, the combination of a receptacle comprising ametallic bottom and fabric sides, a bail adapted to be secured toamower, said bottom bein bent to form a hook at its front for detachablyconnecting the receptacle to saidbail, standards for said sides havingtheir lower ends pivoted tothe bottom at the sides of the bottomrespectively, anddispo'se'd outwardly with respect to said hook, and ahandle for the receptacle.

4. In a grass-catcher, the combination of a at the upper edge of saidsides, a handle secured to'the rod at the back of the recep- Itacle,means for pivotally connecting the front end of the handle to the frontportion of the metallic bottom, and means for do: tahably connecting thereceptacle to a mower.

5. In a grass-catcher, the combination of a receptaclec'omprising ametallic bottom and fabric sides, a stay-rod at the upper edge of saidsides, uprights secured to said rod and having their lower endspivotally secured to the bottom and secured laterally,- a handle securedto the red at the back of the receptacle, means for pivotally connectingthe front end of'the handle to the front portion of the metallicbottoin,and means for detachably connecting the receptacle to a mower.

JOSEPH H.- COULT.

-Witnesses: I DE FonREsrWAm),

D; Fomrr.

